BATTLE of VAYELON

Two hundred years later, Vayelon 7796 BC.

Summer heat begins to spin your head even before sunrise. There used to be a desert here, and later, it will reappear. And now, the whole of Mesopotamia, like a real paradise, is dotted with tropical forests and fertile vegetation. People, not knowing hunger, in those days developed rapidly. The first state institutions appeared. Trade flourished, and the center of the whole world was the city between the endangered Nahmaut valleys – Vayelon.

A man in a tall, cylindrical headdress and a white pha-toe sticking out of him, attentively looks at the papers that are being shoved to him by the strangers who are lined up in line. A long column of cavalry stretching for hundreds of meters. Traders from different parts of the earth are registering to enter the main kingdom of the Osiris. With a wave of his hand, and shouting something to the controller standing on the wall between the four entrance towers, he folded the papers into his bag and went to the chariot. After examining it from all sides, looking into the tin barrels tightly tied to the cart, the checking man muttered something and, having already taken out his journal, made a note in pencil. The huge, arched gate slowly opens. Behind them stood a powerful, iron lattice, which moved apart in segments in different directions. Having driven his cart there, the dark-skinned honey seller waited wearily for the gate behind him to close and in front to open. Being within the four walls, he was nervous whether the damned sentries, imposingly descending from the second, even higher wall of the fortress, would give him the go-ahead or send him back. Such a double pass procedure is necessary so that more than one carriage does not enter the city. She was so annoying that some of the merchants just turned around and left without waiting for their turn. By the way, Vayelon is the first city in Mesopotamia with two defensive walls. Shelber Castle has only one wall, and that was not built by its inhabitants, but Fimirel in the Rohvem Valley, the largest settlement of the past centuries, is an open city. They don’t need walls. They are very proud, but not like Spartans with a powerful army, but rather like the Nazis, ideologically, confident that they are special and omnipotent, and everyone else is unworthy and incapable of anything. Therefore, they never even thought that someday, from someone, they would have to defend themselves. They sincerely believed that no one in the world would have the courage to even look in their direction without permission.

There, outside the walls of the Osirian metropolis, life was in full swing. Architecture. Just look at this wonderful architecture, which is mixed in different styles unusual for late civilizations. No mythical castle or palace compares even to the walls of Vayelon. Various protrusions, mostly in the form of rings, and layered superstructures were amazing. The pointed roofs of the first wall, like bunches of needles, branch out in all directions. Huge, alternating yellow and green heads of crocodiles, instead of roofs, on the second wall of the towers, were one of the symbols of the state. They look up, with wide-open mouths, protruding teeth and curved wave, pink tongues like spires reaching into the sky. The sparkling blue eyes of these crocodiles are said to be human-sized natural diamonds. And this is a delightful wall painting. Everything is decorated with bright, multi-colored engravings and mysterious drawings, in which it is not clear what is depicted, but it looks very beautiful. The best sights were, of course, inside. In the very center of the fortress, there was a palace of unprecedented beauty. When traders first see him, they feel as if they are in a dream. What can we say about ancient people, when this would excite even modern people. Three majestic buildings, connected by bridges, chains, vegetation and just some kind of decorations, stretched above the clouds. These skyscrapers are clearly not built of clay. In the worst case, they are built according to all modern technologies, with a combination of metal, concrete and glass. Or even with the use of nano-technologies, miraculously implemented by the brilliant Osiris.

At night, the city center glowed, with mind-blowing, colored ribbons and lanterns, as if it were a modern metropolis, and not a prehistoric village of clay caves, like the neighboring wild peoples. Even the most ordinary taverns and eateries are hung with bright garlands to attract attention, although there were no power plants in the city. Everything was powered by disposable batteries. High stands, advertising posters, against the background of medieval-style mansions, look peculiar. Babylon with hanging gardens and amazing bridges, like stairs, connecting the towers of the main palace. Golden statues of gods, historical figures and just art. For example, a building in the form of a huge bunch of grapes. Or, a giant artificial fountain in the form of a black as night cobra with a golden belly, in the marketplace. An unimaginable waterfall in the form of the mythical four-winged bird Ambimum, near the government building. The color of her translucent body, with orange and black spots, created the illusion of a burning flame. There is also an amazing flower palace in the shape of a pyramid. This is an iron frame, entirely lined with natural flowering plants, which, hundreds of people, every day take care of and replace with new ones. The roads are lined with smooth clay bricks on the outskirts, and colored ceramic tiles in the center. You can endlessly enumerate these original masterpieces of an incredible civilization, but all this was preceded by events that in the future for them will be fatal.

A whimsical chariot rushes at great speed along the main street of the city. A black flag flutters behind it, depicting random white threads curling up into a ball in the center. Cavalry, drawn from six unnaturally large horses, loudly knocking horseshoes. On horse heads, they wear high golden crowns, like sultans’ hats with red petals sticking up. Light, silver armor covers their backs. At the turn, the carriage skidded sharply, and one of its edges lifted off the ground. The people walking by jumped aside in horror. Barely able to resist, the cart continued to skid along the smooth stones to the very square of Grompi, stopping at the very entrance to the majestic palace of King Ormon. All knocking and screaming died down. There was complete silence. Only the murmur of water and a gentle breath of wind. The driver of the wagon sat motionless, like a statue. His head is bound with iron armor, obviously not of local manufacture. Suddenly the door of the golden carriage opened and a leg appeared from there in a black leather boot with patterns embroidered with precious stones. Its sole was made of small, silvery human heads! Stepping on the ground, the unknown man in a black robe stood motionless. The people standing nearby began to whisper among themselves and backed away. His face was covered by a black, stone mask that showed no emotion. There is a square headdress on the head, with gold engraving on the front. On top, she was wrapped in dark rags, like a scarf. Looking towards the wide steps that rise to the entrance, he raised his hand, pointing his finger at the door. A rather interesting bracelet sits on his wrist. Red, thick, intertwining earthworms. They are made of copper, but they look real.

– Call me the king! He boomed in a terrible voice. – What is this demon? Human speeches are heard. The servants standing at the high front gate went inside.

«My lord, he has arrived. Waiting for you on the street, – one of the guards reports to an elderly, long-haired, gloomy man, in a blue checkered shirt, with lush, puffy shoulders like pillows and a gold brooch around his neck.

– Is he really alone? – asked the old man, putting on a crown in the form of white crystals and a red cap with a yellow circle in the middle and outgoing lines depicting the sun. The soldier silently nodded his head.

«Tell Mandalis to keep the garrison troops on alert in both directions.

«Yes, my king,» the soldier ran away.

A minute later, the gray-haired, bearded ruler went out into the street. He squinted from the blinding sun, trying to see everything around him. Seeing him, an unknown person in a black robe, confidently went to the meeting. Climbing the soft colored carpet that stretched through all the steps, his wildly bulging eyes could be seen through the eye sockets. When he met the old man, he bent down slightly, resting his hand on his chest.

– Governor of Shelber, for what purpose did you come to us? The king asked him.

– Greetings, lord of the Osiris, wisest of kings. I, Aprod Rift, have come to you at the request of the Most High Governor Shelber Daligen. We need to discuss some political issues regarding the safety of the city.

– Well, let’s go to my meeting room, – the King nodded to the guard and went inside. The visiting ambassador followed him through long corridors. Closing in a small room, they sat down at a round table, which stood at the very window. The old man took off the crown and placed it in front of him. Taking a handkerchief from his chest pocket, he wiped his damp face. – What do you want? He asked, scratching the back of his head. – This month, we paid tribute to Bil Hamhharaf, regularly pay taxes to the temple of Selim and did not violate any agreement between the Nahmau and the Osiris.

«Keep calm, oh great king. I haven’t started the conversation yet, and you are already making excuses. It doesn’t suit you. Vayelon’s people are in great danger. Rohvem wants to completely destroy the city, fearing your power. Even though they are our brothers, we will not allow this madness. The forest of the dead in the southern valley has taken too many people from Fimirel to hell, and our people disappear on Shelber’s mushroom paths. Nahmau are having their worst times. It’s hard to seem like heroes when our own kings left us at the mercy of Jerichan leprosy. Envy, flying up to heaven Vayelon, turned the heads of the governors and priests. We decided to take control of one of the city councils. Whether it is the council of the wisest or the council of the elders, I am obliged to lead this branch within a week. Deliver this to your subjects. Having learned that I am in power, Makhtum will not dare to attack his brothers. Otherwise, he will unleash a senseless war with Shelber.

– It all looks like some kind of competition, – the tsar looks menacingly into his face. – Who from Nahmau will capture the Osirian capital faster. So our obedience is no longer enough for you? Has it ever occurred to you that our people can resist wicked envious people? Fists clenched tightly, his face twitched nervously. – And then, we ourselves are already looking at the lands around us. Living in the occupation of a greedy, dying people is not so exciting.

«You shouldn’t call my people greedy. In that case, let Biel decide your fate. The countdown has already started. You will not be saved by the numerous hordes of mortals, from the ruthless creatures of Rohvem. – Taking out a scroll from his mantle, the governor handed it to the king. – Read this and pass it on to the council. Dahligen’s own appeal. Perhaps it will convince you more than my words. – Getting up from his chair, Aprod left the palace.

Sitting on his soft, wonderful throne, upholstered with the skin of a Nile crocodile, with a sparkling ornament on the upper part of the back, leaning his elbows, King Ormon hung his head thoughtfully. At the long table of the council of the elders, he carried a great deal of weight. And, in today’s discussion, as a result of controversy and disagreement, supported the side of the envoy from Shelber, but the council did not approve of this position.

«My years are passing,» he raised his bushy eyebrows sadly. «And I don’t see a decent youth capable of ruling Vayelon. I have spoiled my children too much. The elders are already forty years old, but they are all helpless children. I propose, to the council, to introduce a new position in the department that is temporarily fulfilling my duties.

– We are not against such a position, but it should be occupied exclusively by a local, – the senator, sitting somewhere in the middle, waves his index finger. – For example me. To give power to a stranger, and even to some governor from Shelber… we will not allow!

– Well, calm down, – the king raised his hands, trying to calm down the shouting advisers. – In a week, we have to give an answer. Collect troops. Our answer is war.

Dark clouds were gathering in the sky. Peals of thunder and striking lightning fell right into the tower of the majestic temple of Selim, in the deserted city of Fimirel. Abandoned stone cottages surrounded a single residential structure stretching to the very heavens. Gloomy, dark building. This dizzying cone-shaped structure is even taller than the skyscrapers of Vayelon. And, most importantly, it moves. Each floor, like a huge disk, in the form of a semicircle, planted on top of each other, slowly revolves around its axis. And at the top, segments of a sharpened fiery roof. It glows bright orange. With the help of kinematics and changing color rendering, the illusion of flowing lava is created. No wonder this tower got the name – Volcano. Queen Fimirel Bil Hamhharaf lives here. An insidious witch who for the sake of power killed her father, and then her brother. She hates men, and therefore killed her son in order to make her daughter the receiver of power. Even all members of the council, in Fimirel, are exclusively women. The only man in the entire Rohvem Valley who can argue with the distraught ruler is High Priest Makhtum. He heads the most important common shrine of the Nahmau. This is the divine, first common religious temple of Selim – Birhatten, and, according to the law, no one has the right to take away the power of the chief priest over the spiritual community. Initially, this temple was built as a palace for the kings of Rohvem, even before the Fimirel tower appeared. But, the building turned out to be too chic, breathtaking, in a word, grandiose. Such a large-scale and magnificent complex that the then ruler Mastakh thought that only gods should live there, and decided to transfer the building to the clergy. A couple of centuries later, when the ideology of the «Law of Svurt» was popularized, the temple was slightly rebuilt, made it even larger and more fantastic, suitable for all spiritual levels. It is strange that the greedy queen did not even try to take possession of this building, because it is several times more beautiful than her palace. Perhaps, she still had some kind of upbringing, and respect for faith, otherwise, if she were blinded by power by a naive dictator, she would have been overthrown by her own advisers and caretakers. Hatred of the opposite sex, the future queen accumulated from childhood. A talented girl has always been ignored and not taken seriously. Her father called any of her suggestions nonsense, although he himself ultimately accepted them and said that these were his brilliant ideas. Now, the touchy lady hates all men in the world, and even her wife Liger is afraid of unpredictable passion and crazy fanaticism, having long planned to escape from the city, to the neighboring village of Dagbu, following the rest, adequate residents.

Today is the brightest night the Knight Masod has ever seen, standing at the farthest outpost of Vayelon. After feeding his horse, he quickly went to the tent to hide from the beginning of the downpour. A strong wind has risen. The catapults standing in the field rolled towards the fire and almost caught fire. The horses whinnied in fright. Two thousand people, already on alert for the second week, on the southern border of the Osiris, tirelessly watch the rugged terrain of Rohvem. Grabbing an earthenware pot, the guardsman began to have supper, quickly eating flour cakes with berry filling. The comrades sat closely with each other, telling different stories. Suddenly, outside there were the shouts of the guards. – Everybody out! Faster, faster! Under construction, under construction! Stand in front of your tents! General Mandalis has arrived!

– What’s happening? Does the general show up in the middle of the night, in such terrible weather, without warning? – Masod goggled eyes, barely chewing on another pie. He carefully pulled back the curtain, peering through the small window of his tent. «Move your ass, guy,» his comrades hurried out into the street. There was complete confusion. It was not just his retinue who came with the general. With him came an army of at least five thousand people in full combat readiness.

– Roll up camp, prepare your horses and sharpen your arrows! – shouts the commander of the outpost. By the decision of the council, in a day, we move forward to capture Fimirel and liberate the Osirian villages.

Delight appeared in Masod’s confused eyes. Under a raging downpour, in the middle of the night, for the first time he felt the greatness of the army gathered here, and his irreplaceable, great role in the fate of an entire people. Gaining strength, the warriors, as it should, slept for the last time. In the morning, two knights gathering brushwood in the vicinity of the camp noticed movements in the distant bushes and reeds, a swampy peat land.